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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: cathaldus on Monday 07 April 08 17:16 BST (UK)
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When I was a pupil at St. Gregory's High School on Ardwick Green, Manchester, I recollect that we were told that the original part of the building was the former town house of the famous industrialist John Ryland. He is of course commemorated in the newly renovated John Ryland's Library on Deansgate in Manchester. Any info out there please?
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I've just looked him up on the 1851 census and there he is! At 24 Ardwick Green with wife Martha.
Its a very damaged page, so you can't see who else is there.. but wikipedia says he had six children by his first wife Dinah Raby http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rylands
Was St Gregory's also an Industrial School at one time? I think there was one at Ardwick. Would it be the same building?
:) Barbara
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Dear Barbara,
A bit of a "senior" day!! Why didn't I think of the census! Thank you so much for your response. Ardwick Green then, was a village green and the Ryland's would have driven down to St. Annes or the Cathedral Church, perhaps in a Brougham and pair, on a lovely summer morning! I started at St. Gregory's in 1947 and I never knew is it was an industrial school in a previous life. I will find out and let you know!
Bill
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Dear Barbara,
I "googled" St. Gregory's High School for Boys - Ardwick Green and low and behold fullsome details of an Industrial school revealed! Now who'd thowt'
it!!
Once again, thanks! Bill .
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Hi
St Greg's was built as a hospital originally. I'll be passing over the weekend and see if there was a name.
Cheers
T
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Dear Tony,
Thank you for your reply! I've never heard that one before and I am obviously very interested and would appreciate any further info. that you glean elsewhere.
Sincere thanks, Bill
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What a lovely picture you paint, of a brougham and pair trotting along London Road! :D
I had to make do with the 92 bus ;)
Barbara
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On the 92 eh! You must have been one if the posh one's. Remember the first bit of that road towards Manchester is Downing Street!! When I was 16 or so I knew the managing clerk of a firm of Manchester solicitors, he was 89 at that time and it was he who told me of the Brougham and pair (with his Merchant father) drving down to St. Anne's church. His dress, his handwriting and demeanor would I suppose be considered as a "gentleman". He lived in Ashton on Mersey then, in a real "Georgian" house, with his Housekeeper, Miss Mills!! I used to help in the garden and got ten shillings for a full day on Saturday! Not bad for a Hulme lad eh!
Bill
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Hi Bill,
I pass there most days (St Greg's) and it is on the corner by the lights as you might remember. I love Gothic architecture so often look at the building whilst we are waiting for 'green'. It does say Hospital at the top, I half remember Nicholl's ??? ??? or perhaps I don't. I will look tomorrow.
Cheers
T
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There was a T.A. Building (Manchester Regt. Ardwick Bn.) and a drinks Company I remember as Jewsbury and Brown. I seem to recollect a fire in the J & B building and they had to remove the top floor(s). This would I suppose be 1949/50. The other interesting architecture is of course St. Thomas's church, overlooking the Green. What memories we all have, when somebody helps to "winkle" them out. That of course is the true "beauty" of RootsChat, revealing, once again, long lost "pearls"
Bill
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Hi my friend,
I didn't get to pass Greg's this weekend but will do in the near future. ...................A break of a few minutes here as I remembered the name of the hospital. Nicholls!!! A quick search and here it is together with St Thomas's. Joy, as you say, the 'beauty' of RootsChat.
St Thomas's is now the HQ of Greater Manchester Council for Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO) and they have done a marvellous restoration which leaves the architecture virtually intact whilst also offering office space, meeting rooms and a conference venue.
Happy memories
T
x
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Too much joy, in my excitement I forgot the link ::)
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/001ewm/032_ardwick/index.html
T
x
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On the 92 eh! You must have been one if the posh one's.
Oh I was! We had an inside loo ;D ;D
This link is good as well, also an Eyewitness Manchester link.
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/m50/m48.html
Manchester in the 1940s, from Evening News stories around at the time. slightly before my time but still familiar. So much different and yet so much the same!
:) Barbara
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An INSIDE :o loo. ohmigod you were posh!
Great link, Barbara
T
x
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Here's a little something while you are waiting for Tony:
this is a hand drawn map that my late mother sent me - I think I had been confused as to where the Manchester Hippodrome was, so she sent two sketches of where the two Hippodromes were.
[The writing in case you can't read it in the picture says "There were two theatres at Ardwick - one the Ardwick Hippodrome (now the Apollo) and the Ardwick Empire at the corner of Hyde Road, later a carpet warehouse - both showing variety acts. The Hippodrome was more upmarket, the Empire a bit rough and rowdy. The Manchester Hippodrome was on Oxford Street"]
As you can see, she knew which of the Ardwick venues the posh people went to! :D
:) Barbara
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Dear Barbara,
Many thanks for your response and your Mum's map. The Ardwick Empire became the Manchester Hippodrome. I remember going to see Adam Faith there in 1959!! (Don't believe I just said that!!). A little further along Higher Ardwick was the Coliseum cinema. The "gable end" of St. Gregory's was facing the cinema (just about!) and one could walk down the side of the Green, passed John Rylands house and on passed St. Thomas's Church, right to the end of the Green and then bear left, you had Jewsbury & Brown and the T.A. place on your right hand side, just before you reached Downing Street. Turning right (towards Manchester), you had (on your right hand side) the H.Q of the Manchester & Salford (I think!) Co-op and on the left was the start of Cavendish Street, which led directly down to All Saints (Oxford Road). Turning back towards Ardwick Green, was the beginning of Rusholme Road, (on your right hand side) again leading down to Oxford Road. A most interesting part of Manchester! I seem to remember that there was a very old "cholera" cemetery just down on the left side of Rusholme Road, with a big rusty padlock on the very big rusty gates - Scary!!
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Lovely maps Barbara, well done your Mum ;D
I can visualise those buildings which I knew so well. In particular the Apollo. I once got lost there in a smog, the buses had stopped running. Yeah buses not trams ;D.
You couldn't even read the street signs so the only way I could find my way home was to follow the London Rd and take the left fork at the Apollo. We had so much fun in those days, and you try telling that to the kids of today........................................................................Yeah well, I was always a Monty Python fan ;D But in irony is also truth ;)
And Bill your memory serves you well, well at least mine is the same as yours about the surrounding area. I looked at Greg's tonite and it does say Nicholl's Hospital. Very gothic and i couldnt see any evidence of an earlier building.
Adam Faith ::) I ask you? but I did see some pretty obscure bands in and around Manchester in the sixties, the obscure Beatles, Who and a memorable response of mine, do you fancy going to the Twisted Wheel to watch the Rolling Stones? Who? And now I've done it, totally off topic, the Wheel next to the fire station.
Ooops
T
x
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Dear Tony,
I think perhaps you are confusing the school on Hyde Road,( if you turn right at those lights you would go down to Pin Mill Brow), which is the Ellen Wilkinson school and very ornamental. St. Gregory's was on the corner of Ardwick Green and Higher Ardwick on the same row as St. Thomas's Church and was susequently demolished. Still I have really enjoyed this discourse with yourself and with Barbara, bringing back so many happy memories, many thanks to both you young guys!! A quick aside I know my wife's niece and her husband met at the Twisted Wheel - small world eh??
Bill
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Hi Bill,
I sense the error of my ways now. My brother was at Gregs but it was at Ellen Wilkinson aka Nicholl's Hospital, site. I think now you are referring to an earlier site, about which I know nowt! But have learnt so much in the process.
Wheels within wheels my friend, life itself ::) ::)
;D
Tony